YOUR comment on the council workers' strike would be laughable were it not such an insult to people on whom we all depend every day.

You assert that there is no way that Swindon or any other council can pay, and that such action will have little impact on the Government.

Yet most commentators agree this is causing serious concern for Tony Blair and New Labour, not least because of the growing anger of trade unionists and the spectre of the Winter of Discontent.

You also ignore the fact that only last week Gordon Brown announced an increase in public spending of £61bn. Local authorities are to get a 4.2 per cent rise in funding so they cannot claim that they can't afford it.

As for Swindon, in the past decade the council has sold off everything in sight and this year increased council tax by a massive 15 per cent. The money is there, as the increases in councillors expenses' and the Chief Executive's pay show.

R W BANISTER

Adwalton Close, Freshbrook